I wrote:
>>Determining what my Russian name is is complicated by the fact
>>that my father and I both go by our middle names. So should I base
>>my Russian given name and patronymic on our first names or our
>>middle names? If they were based on our middle names, I would be
>>Mattvei Stepanovich Petrov. If they were based on first names,
>>I would be Yul Ivanovich Petrov.
Vasiliy replied:
>There is no distinction between 'first' and 'middle' names in Russian.
>So you can safely name yourself Matvey Stepanovich (or Metyu Stivenovich,
>as we in Russia mostly transcribe foreign names based on their sound
>rather than etymology, with rare exceptions like the names of monarchs).
But I was attempting to Russify "Matthew". I was told that "Mattvey"
is the Russian equivalent, although it's a rather uncommon name in
Russia.
>Aren't you a person of royal descendance, occasionally ? If so, there
>is a special rule. I believe then you'd be Iuliy Ioannovich (and not
>simply Yuliy Ivanovich; but I doubt about the etimology of your first
>name: Julius?).
My first name is Joel, which would be "Yul" in Russian, wouldn't
it?
Matt.